Transport of horses1

TRANSPORT OF HORSES

RAMESWAR PANDA

MVSC 2ND YEAR

DEPT. OF LPM

BOMBAY VETERINARY COLLEGE

POINTS TO REMEMBER DURING TRANSPORT

• No one shall transport animals, or cause them to be transported in a way likely to cause them injury or undue suffering.

• Journey times are kept to a minimum.• The animals are fit to travel.• Those handling animals have been trained and are

competent.• The vehicle and its loading and unloading facilities are

designed, constructed and maintained to avoid injury and suffering and to ensure the safety of the animals

• Water, feed and opportunity to rest are made available to the animals as appropriate, and sufficient floor space and height is available in the transport.

• For non-export journeys, documentation is provided which shows the following: origin and ownership of animals; place of departure and destination; date and time of departure and expected duration of journey (usually referred to as an Animal Transport Certificate).

WHAT REGULATION SAYS…..

• The Regulation sets out additional requirements if you transport horses and ponies on ‘short’ journeys over 65km (approximately 40 miles) and up to eight hours. Transporters must:

• Hold a Type 1 transporter authorisation.

• Ensure that drivers and attendants are in possession of a certificate

of competence.

• Demonstrate that they have appropriate staff and equipment to transport animals in a proper way, and to have no record of serious infringements of animal welfare legislation in the preceding three years.

There are, in addition to the above, a number of other requirements for ‘long’ journeys of over eight hours. Transporters of horses and ponies must:

• Hold a Type 2 transporter authorisation.• Have any vehicle used for transporting horses and ponies

inspected and approved.• Have contingency plans in place in case of emergencies.• Complete a Journey Log where unregistered horses and ponies

are being exported

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTSJourney times

ANIMAL BASIC STANDARD

VEHICLE

HIGHER STANDARD VEHICLE

Horse & ponies 8 hrs 24 hrs( feed and water to be provided in every 8 hrs)

Unweaned foals

8 hrs travel rest travel

9 hrs 1 hr 9 hrs

• Journey time is from first animal loaded to last animal unloaded.

• Time spent on Roll-on/Roll-off (RO-RO) vessels counts towards the journey time.

• Time spent by animals in stalls or pens on specialist livestock vessels does not count towards total journey time, provided certain conditions are met.

• Time whilst on the aircraft during air transport does not count towards total journey time.

GENERAL POINTS

• Horses and ponies older than eight months must wear halters during transport – unless they are unbroken animals.

• If horses or ponies are transported on a multi-deck vehicle they must only be carried on the lowest deck, with no other animals above them. In this circumstance the compartment height must be at least 75cm higher than the height of the withers of the highest animal.

REGISTERED HORSES & PONIES

• A ‘registered’ horse or pony means one that is registered in studbooks or with international organizations managing competitions (as defined in Directives 90/426/EEC and 90/427/EEC).

• Exemptions in the Regulation for registered horses and ponies, if accompanied throughout by a dedicated attendant and the journey is to improve their health and welfare, permit:

• Mares to be transported during the final 10% of their gestation period.

• Mares to be transported within one week of giving birth.

• Foals with an unhealed navel to be transported with their dam.

• Transport without the requirement for a Journey Log.

• Transport without being restricted by water and feed intervals, journey times, and rest periods as set for unregistered horses and ponies.

• Transport of animals of four months or younger without being accompanied by their dam.

SEPARATION

• Horses and ponies must be handled and transported separately from other species. The following separations must also be applied:

Horses and ponies of significantly different sizes or ages*. Adult breeding stallions from each other. Sexually mature males from females. Animals hostile to each other. Tied animals from untied animals.

SPACE ALLOWANCE

CATEGORY AREA (M2/ANIMAL)

Adult horses 1.75

Young horses for journey with in 48 hrs

1.2

Young horses for journey over 48 hrs

2.4

ponies 1.0

Foals 1.4

Temperature

• The temperature within the vehicle must not fall below 0ºC during a journey of more than eight hours.

VEHICLE PARTITION

The Regulation does not define dimensions for partitions but they must:

• Be strong enough to withstand the weight of animals.• Have fittings designed for quick and easy operation.

TRANSPORT OF EQUINES TRANSPORT OF ANIMALS RULES, 1978

• 57. Rules 57 to 63 shall apply to the transport by rail, road or sea of horses, mules and donkeys (here in after in these rules referred to as 'equines').

• 58. (a) A valid certificate by a qualified veterinary surgeon to the effect that the equines are in a fit condition to travel by rail; road or sea and are not suffering from any infectious or contagious disease or diseases shall accompany each consignment.

(b)In the absence of such a certificate, the carrier shall refuse to accept the consignment for transport.

(c)The certificates shall be in a form specified in Schedule 1.

• 59. (a) Each consignment shall bear a label showing in bold red letters the name address and telephone number (if any) of the consign or and consignee the number and type of equines being transported and quantity of rations and food provided.

(b) The consignee shall be informed in advance about the train or vehicle or ship in which the consignment of equines is being sent and its arrival time.

(c) The consignment of equines shall be booked by the next train or vehicle or ship and shall be accepted for booking.

• 60. (a) Pregnant and young equines shall not be mixed with other animals.

(b) Different species of equines shall be kept separately.

(c) Equines shall be loaded after being fed and given water adequately, watering arrangements shall be made en route and sufficient food carried to last during the journey.

(d) Veterinary first aid equipment shall accompany all batches of equines.

(e) Adequate ventilation shall be ensured.

(f) Suitable ramps and platforms, improvised where not available, shall be used for loading and unloading equines

• 61. For the transport of equines by rail, the following precautions shall be taken

(a) Equines shall be transported by passenger or mixed trains only;

• (b) Ordinary goods wagon when used for transportation shall carry not more than eight to ten horses or ten mules or ten donkeys on broad gauge and not more than six horses or eight donkeys on metre gauge.

• (c) In extreme hot, water shall be sprinkled over the wagons containing equines by the railway authorities to bring down temperature. Ice slabs in specially made containers may be placed inside the wagon, if recommended by a qualified veterinary surgeon;

(d) every wagon shall have two attendants if the equines are more than two in number;

e) equines shall be loaded parallel to the rails, facing each other;

(f) material for padding, such as paddy, straw, shall be placed on the floor to avoid injury if an animal lies down and this shall not be less than 6 cm thick;

(g) to provide adequate ventilation, upper door of the side of the wagon shall be kept open and properly fixed and the upper door of the wagon shall have wire guage closely welded mesh arrangements to prevent burning cinders from the engines entering the wagon and leading to fire break out;

• (h) two breast bars shall be provided on each side of the wagon, one at a height of 50 to 80 cm and the other at 110 cm.

62. For the transport of equines by goods vehicles, the following precautions shall be taken, namely :

(a) Specially fitted vehicles with a special type of tailboard and padding around the sides shall be used ;

(b) ordinary goods vehicles shall be provided with anti slipping material on the floor and the super structure, if low, should be raised;

(c) bamboo poles of at least 8 cm diameter between each animal and two stout batons at the back shall be provided to prevent the animal from falling;

(e) each vehicle shall not carry more than four to six equines;

(f) each vehicle shall be provided with one attendant;

(g) these vehicles shall be driven at a speed not more than 35 kilometers per hour;

• 63. For the transport of equines by sea the following precautions shall be taken, namely:

(a) horses may normally be accommodated in single stalls and mules in pens, each pen holding four to five mules;

• b) ample ventilation shall be ensured by keeping portholes and providing permanent air trunks or electric blowers on all decks, and exhaust fans shall be installed to blow out foul air;

• (d) to avoid distress specially during hot weather, the ship may go underway immediately after embarking and disembarking shall be done as early as possible after anchoring.

• (e) colts and fillies shall be kept on the exposed decks;

• (f) a pharmacy and spare stalls for five per cent of equines shall be available; (g) passage between two rows of pens shall not be less than 1.5 metres.

SCHEDULE I [See Rule 58] Performa for Certificate of fitness to travel EquinesThis Certificate should be completed and signed by a qualified Veterinary Surgeon.Date and time of examination : ..................................................................Species of Equines: ....................................................................................Number of Equines: ....................................................................................Sex------- Age -----------Breed and identification marks, if any ---------Transported from -------------..to--------..Via-----------..I hereby certify that I have read rules 57 to 63 in Chapter V of the Transport of Animals Rules, 1978.1. That, at the request of (consignor) I examined the above mentioned equines not more than 12 hours before their departure.2. That each equine appeared to be in a fit condition to travel by rail/road/sea and is not showing any signs of any infectious orcontagious disease(s) and that it has been vaccinated against any infectious or contagious diseases(s).3. That the equines were adequately fed and watered for the purpose of the journey

4. That the equines have been vaccinated.(a) Type of vaccine (s) :(b) Date of vaccination:Signed-----------------------Address ------------------------Qualifications---------------------Date -------------------------

TRAILER/FLOATS/BOXES

Not safe to horses

Goosenecks

Horses are carried to air port

Inside the plane

Equipment for Travel

Travelling

Boots/Bandages

Halter/Head Collar &

Lead Rope

Equipment for Travel

Poll Guard

Tail Bandage/Guard

Equipment for Travel

Day Rug/Sheet

Rug/Blanket

Safety Checks

Tyre Pressure

Trailer Checks

Vehicle Checks

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